Chapters 37-40 Summary

Chapter 37

The war council watches a live video from Heaven's Gate, the first world to meet the Ouster incursion. The singularity powering the Heaven's Gate farcaster is destroyed, meaning the planet is now nine years from another Hegemony world. The war council watches a fatline feed of the Ouster ships entering orbit. They are hopeful the Ousters will take the planet peacefully, as the Hegemony has been broadcasting that Heaven's Gate will offer no resistance. The Ouster ships bombard the planet, obliterating the cities and the fatline transmissions suddenly go dead.

The Consul and Theo Lane are rescued by Dr. Melio Arundez, who helps them get to the spaceport. A message from CEO Gladstone tells them that Heaven's Gate has been destroyed and that the Consul must proceed to the Swarm to negotiate with the Ousters before he attempts to rescue...